Dial-operated change geak



A ril 15 1924.

S. EINSTEIN DIAL OPERATED CHANGE GEAR Filed Nov. 20/ 1923 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 April 15 1 S. EINSTEIN DIAL, OPERATED CHANGE GEAR Filed Nov. 20. 1923 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 3y .fi /I OIIYGY S. EINSTEIN DIAL OPERATED CHANGE GEAR Filed Nov. 20. 1923 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 $352M J /forzze QM WM April 15, 1924. 1,490,894

S. EINSTEIN DIAL OPERATED CHANGE GEAR Filed Nov. 20. 1923 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented Apr. 15, 1924.

UNITED STATES PATENT QFFICE.

SOL EINSTEIN, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO CINCINNATI MILLING MACHINE COMIEANY, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

DIAL-QPEBATED CHANGE GEAR.

Application filed November 20, 1923.

To all whom it may/ concern.

Be it known that I, Set. EINsraiN, a citizen of the United tates. and residing at Cincinnati. in the county of Hamilton and State of Ohio. have invented a new and Improved Dial-Qperated Change (tear. of which the following specification is a full disclosure.

This invention deals with machine tools and relates more particularly to a changegear mechanism for varying the speed of travel of one element thereof with respect to another element. The present invention is adaptable among other machines. to milling machines and is disclosed and described in connection with a table feeding mechanism for such a machine only as one typical embodiment thereof.

In milling machines it is essential that the table and the work carried thereon be translated with respect to the tool at a speed determined by the nature of the work. As the rate of feed is necessarily changed frequently. etticiency in action of the speed change mechanism and convenience of location and manipulation of the controlling means therefor are highly important features of these machines.

This invention has for an object to pro vide an improved form of speed change mechanism which will produce the necessary variety of feeds of the table from a single speed drive shaft.

A further object of the invention is to provide a simplified means for selectively shifting the various gears of the speed change mechanism and so to construct and locate the shifting means therefor that the attendant may effect any desired table feed without leaving his station before the work.

A still further object is to provide a gear shift mechanism by which all of the gear changes are etfected by a single manually actuated element having only a circular movement.

Other objects and advantages will be in part indicated in the following description and in part rendered apparent therefrom in connection with the annexed drawings.

To enable others skilled in the art so fully to appreheni'l the underlying features hereof that they may embody the same in the various ways contemplated by this in vention. drawings depicting a preferred typical construction have been annexed as a Serial No. 675,879.

part of this disclosure and, in such drawings, like characters of reference denote corresponding parts throughout all the views, of which Fig. i is a perspective view of a milling machine embodying the present invention. Fig. 2 a development of the change gear mechanism and the manually controlled means for shifting the gear members. Fig. is a vertical section taken at right angles to Fig. 2 through a portion of the knee showing certain gear shifting yokes later to be referred to. 'Fig. 4 is a section somewhat similar to Fig. 3 but showing a detent means for preventing accidental shifting of the gears. Fig. 5 is a detail plan partly in section of the mechanism shown in Fig. 4;. Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic view showing the means for intermittently actuating one gear shifting element from another gear shifting! element. Fig. 7 is a front elevation of the manually actuated gear shift controlling lever together with the indexed dial as sociated therewith for indicating the rate of tahle feed in any position of the lever. Fig. 8 is a development somewhat similar to Fig. 2 but. showing a modified construction. 'Fig. 9 is a view similar to Fig. 3 but showing the modified construction of Fig. 8. Fig. 10 is a diagrammatic view of the gear shifting cam groove shown in Fig. 8.

Referring more particularly to the drawings the invention is disclosed as embodied in a typical milling machine comprising a base Z supporting an upright column X upon which is vertically adjustable the usual lmee K. Upon the knee is slidably mounted the saddle 9 within which the table T is endwise movable. Journaled in suitable bearings 9 in the knee is a suitably propelled driving shaft 10 having a constant speed of rotation. and adriven shaft 11 adapted to be driven at any one of a numher of predetermined speeds as will later be described. The shaft ll has secured to it a pinion 12- meshing with a gear 13 which, through a suitable friction clutch it rotates a gear 15 operatively connected to turn the teed screw 16 to effect translation of the table. As the means for rotating the feed screw 16 from the gear 15 is of conventional form and forms no part of the present invention. detail illustration and description thereof is deemed unnecessary.

Splined upon the shaft 10 are two gear units and The unit A consists oi goers i and 2 zdii i i h the manipulation 1 oi. inst mid oi in (level? stiectiveh; to he sow sunning L "ODStllEmIOilS it suitable i ltnroii ht into neghi th LIOMYS l and 2 of eliminated.

ooseiy ioiiineied on hus a gear-unit i lugs 19 also carried hy the knee.

The secozi' gear-unit B consists of gears 3 and 7' Wise adapted to he selectively brought mesh With gears end t also fOCIIli pert of the gear-unit The internie shaft 19 has fixedly secured upon it i tively large and small f wftl' 7 and, o etei to he referred to.

Nontransistehiy ioiiineied 18 su port by an iiie2 mediate shaft he oi ings 20 SLUTOUDCiiDfj the driven she :1 journals-(L pars sleeve 21 at one eat 01: whici'i is 1 g are 19. two ii formed :2, gear perm eons of 7, end a series of chitch s i'o gear 8, adapted end a series oi chiteh teeth engage the clutch teeth i and The unit in addition t :ipon

the speed changes 0 nt between all tie ehiiiig egezii'.

fir; d to shaft.

eiein owe a.

oi'hed end the shaft 11, it heing also i From the foregoing it will he observed e .ods into 2121 enniiiei iov-v that from the single speed di'ive-sheit it) in the ZGflT-Th it and under the ii'ise o 5 four speeds are V61! the nnit speeds may tmnsmi shaft 11 by as viewed in Y7 the viHi'C/h teeth four speeds are niiiitip ied i t hy the gear-unit G. Any one of t stud )1? i'oiiei' has i ts tori:

speeds i y he further inn teen speeds by shifting; ti seeond left to mesh th e'eei's S 1; h'. These Yo es in eeeh instant-e heingjg the eiemein" that }F 'i'ihe'i '0 only one is tfii es Hie shaft ,1.

yoke 30 joiiifnrued iipo i SP1 "ii (:21 i'ried 1 important time o! by the knee find is proi ided with o. studs 01 res des in the mechanism the iioiiei' Whioh the efi'oove o. i zii'ioiis gl'PH'fiUfl'tS to seleetiveiy ive to ti o The forked end 2 he its with -imit C. 'a 'ohe he, yi'oo fe and u i tehie T any one otthe shove described 9137- in the ennui 1 men teen speeds. ierioiis :tovms oi devices have A second yoke si neietotoi'e heei e'r pioyed for this purpose stud oi roiiei? e has it forked end en siieh as phiioi i 7 i niiaiiy iictiiehi er-unit T or e. siii -ie eieiiient inoviihie in d 1 To offset rotation planes YEH OIZS posi ions oi edii there is joiirneied iii This invention provides :in imthe knee 2: ih shaft 35 I peeved. Form of gear shitting mechanism seemed an eetiiiiitii 'eieiiient hei'eiii shown wherehy any one of the eveiiehie rates s hand-crank 36. Al o seeiii'ed upon the table ieed may 0 .eiit y eiifeeted h' e, sheit is a i 37 iiZETii interest teeth singrie eoiitroi Visit having; oni 38 which mesh with end 'o tte e pinion illClii fii movement. This mechanism is so upon one end of the diode? ie opp0- constructed and iii-ranged es to pennit eii'v' site end oi the (Yiifiiei is lOTHlBd with desired hi hei feed rate to he eti'seiiled detent notches 4 which Cooperate ii iti'i it through at series of progressive seer shifts spi'i depressed d memher 4-1 pivoted 139 at 1 2 to the knee and carrying a roller 43 which hold the cylinder against accidental rotation.

in index dial it is secured upon the for ward end of the knee co-avial with the shaft and intermediate the crank 36 and the 31'. This dial is provided with a series of markings representing the various tablefeeds obtainable. i-is shown by Fig. 7 the feed of the table may be progressively increased by rotating the crank counter-clockwise. it being understood that the camgrooves in the cylinders are so arranged as to shift the gear units A. B. and D in the proper sequence to produce the feed indicated by toe position of the member 36.

effect a variable motion between the cylinders G and H to cause the cam grooves to shift the gear-units in the proper se- (piencc. the Continuously rotatable cylinder G preferably carries a gear member f/ provided with a single series of teeth (see Fig. 6). This series is adapted to mesh with four similar series 72/ formed in a gear member h secured to the cylinder H; the convex blank of. the member 9 fitting within the concave blanks h of the member 7i thereby preventing rotation of the cylinder l-l when the teeth 9 and h are out of mesh.

The operation of this speed-change mechanism is as follows :Suppose it is desired to give the table its slowest possible feed from a predetermined speed of the shaft 10, the crank 36 will be turned until it covers the lowest value indicated on the dial 4st that is. as represented 3A. it being understood that in Fig. 7 the member 36 covers the value representing the highest rate of feed. This partial rotation of the crank 36 through the connections previously explained partially rotates the cylinders (l and H and this rotation causes the camgroovcs a. c and (Z. through the yokes 2+ and 30. to shift the gear-units A. C and D to mesh the gears 2 and 2. and 5", and S and 8. the roller extending into the cam b. then tracking a neutral portion of said cam so that the gear unit B is not shifted from its neutral position. The gear-unit- C being splined to the sleeve 21 which carries the gear 7 power is transmitted through the gear 7 to its mate 7 which in turn rotates the shaft 19 carrying the gear 8. Thus it will be seen that an operative connection is established between the driving shaft 10 and the driven shaft 11 which latter through suitable conventional mechanism translates the table T. the gear-unit D being the element that drives the shaft 11.

The predetermined highest rate of feed may likewise be obtained from any lower feed rate by turning the member 36 to the position shown in Fig. 7, thereby meshing the gears 3 and 8, 3 and 3* and the clutch teeth 22 and 23, the gear-unit D being the element that drives the shaft 11. Obviously any desired feed between the extremes may be obtained by the proper setting of the crank 36.

In the modification shown in Figs. 8, 9 and 10 the hand-lever 36 is secured directly upon the reduced end of a cylinder I within which are cut cam-grooves a, b, c, and (Z adapted to actuate the yokes 24: and to shift the gear-units A, B, C and D, similar to the cam grooves a. 7), 0, (Z. previously described. The cylinder I being atlixed to the hand-lever 36 receives a positive motion therefrom. The cam grooves a, 7). c and (Z are each formed with active portions vi and neutral portions 'n which are so related to each other that the gear-units A. B. C and D are shifted in the proper sequence.

The cylinder I is preferably provided with a toothed disk 40 which cooperates with a spring-pressed detent ll to prevent accidental rotation of the cylinder I.

It is to be understood that a conventional reversing mechanism may be associated with the present table feeding mechanism but as such reversing mechanism forms no part of the present invention itis not deemed necessary to illustrate or describe the same.

Y Vithout further analysis. the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of this invention that others can. by applying current knowledge. readily adapt it for various utilizations by retaining one or more of the features that. from the standpoint of the prior art. fairly constitute essential characteristics of either the generic or specific aspects of this invention and. therefore. such adaptations should he. and are intended to he. comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalency of the followinfi claims:

Having thus revealed this invention. I claim as new and desire to secure the following combinations and elements. or equivalents thereof. by Letters Patent of the United States:

1. In a speedchange mechanism for a machine tool constructed with a knee. a saddle. and a table translatably mounted on said saddle. in combination a driving shaft and av driven shaft journaled in said knee: an operative connection between said driven shaft and said table for translating the lat ter from the former; an intermediate shaft: a plurality of gears non-translatably supported upon said intermediate shaft: a plurality of shiftable gear-units carried by said driving and driven shafts and adapted selectively to be engaged with the gears on said intermediate shaft: a rotatable member journaled in said knee; a plurality of cams formed on. seicl t3 o1 yokes join; a;

.7 etively conneetir with one of said shiii N single means carried l3 ing said rotatable nembe gage said gear-units shaft to translate n plurality of precletei i speed Phone shell,

treiisletelili,

shaft; iiieziiis :fw g'fiillFlnitS to e be wiw i aid i tetehle oylintlei? fies: non-ti rolzes eoiiiiee ezl 1o seitl and ectiiai'ei ij elcl e2 giving said first tei'iiipteil i tati: sz-iirl rotetelile second on inter-111'; iiitei'i'eptefl rotation of In 9. EPQGYLQllZHiPjQ ohiiie tool ooiisl'ji'iiel'ed with :i and table ii'ziiisleteb saddle iii co iil ioii 2i i nalecl 1. s2 (l. s liiieil to Elillil (li'i i (i te shale: non-tronslet (To-axial .i'ith sai l inte fixed se tl driven she 't't joui'i ahle gear-unit eo-e "i; a nee-t s snifl driven she; i one of said two i e liiKlQl jOUi'llzllPfl I with liii'elity p9 :i pluralit but iiozi-tirziiisl said okes eaieii engaging one of and e poitioii coo 1eiiigi' .ioi*es; e To said knee s: id yolces to sh" tii'el r procliiee speeds iii said speed in the (liii iii' so: i to said knee eeeeiit seicl e ii'ig, by the posit ,7 selecteclzem v y from seifl driven shaft.

4. A changee (ll'lVO shaft: e li units sii ported by So. rliete t ii oiiiit units ooiii iii big: e

shett: gems ported by said to]: sliiftiii cl Shiite file i=1 1 n1 ice various sneecls IeeiJ-shii log of cylinders es one of it iiotches to hold and thereby yo zes and '.2?1'-1.i112t$ iii predetermined posixe-olenge mechanism ooii'ibining t; a driven shaft: an interti'ensletehle gear-riots proility o1 of vei 'iigi' sizes sziicl (llfl'illg end i 'veii slietl's: able r-iiiiit pike iliiig a who of??? of izie joiiriielecl o0- ill with said iiiteifiiiedizit 1 sliiitt and eofog i" aid translatable ir-units: it selectively iiiesliiiie lie {5&15 of eat-units to drive (li'iien shettt at i e o" 2i iiiiiiioei of predetermine. speeds eom sinetwo parallel omneeeh provided with two ceni cl :foiii' okes eaeh en ing; one 1 grooves and one o swid gem?- -ioii CEUYCiQ'Il by one Of saicl cylinetivel gear one; giiig said ei and pinion being; iatioed D111 to one: (111 intevi'i'iipted one of seicl cylinders and inele oi? teeth rm lfl.te.'- v the other oi said. wi h ttoiii' series of 1 ly to mesh with the 1 to? giving to one complete rotes cylinders otetioii to the eliy sa d gear-units are i, ions o, v Cfillnflfil} who i shifted iii miiierl sequence.

6. A cheese-gem mechanism combining it driving shaft: first and second gear-units oh provided with two gears of unequal ize solioed thereto; driven shaft: a sleeve nontrnnsleably joiiriie. (l eo-et-zielly with seiti (iTlVGll shaft; PT-QTlGfilbGi and a series of clutch teeth formed integral. with said sleeve: :1 third. gear-unit splinefl to seicl sleeve, :1 1 with gear-unit splined t0 (li'iveii shaft 2 :1- series of m6 provide-fl with ClUl'Oh teeth eeepted in at certain position of iifl lils'tlllni to engage the clutch teeth on said. sleeve; intermediate shaft; 3

unit non-translatably journaled co-axially with said intermediate shaft and formed with a plurality of gears adapted to mesh with said first, second and third gear-units; a gear fixed to said intermediate shaft and maintained constantly in mesh with the gear on said sleeve; a second gear fixed to said intermediate shaft and adapted to mesh with the gear of said fourth gear-unit in one of its positions of adjustment: and means for shifting said translnhble gearunits to selectively engage certain of said gears to give to said driven shaft any one of sixteen predetermined speeds from a single predetermined speed of said drive shaft.

7. A changegear mechanism according to claim 6, characterized by this that the means for shifting the gears comprises a rotatable member provided with a. plurality of cam-grooves; gear shifting members engaging the translatable gear-units and said cam grooves and actuated by the latter; and means for rotating said rotatable member.

8. A change-gear mechanism according to claim 7 characterized by this that the means for rotating the cam member comprises a hand-lever operatively connected to said cam member; that the cam grooves are so constructed and arranged that a continued turning movement of the hand-lever in one direction shifts the gears to produce a progressive increase in speed in the driven shaft from its lowest to highest speed.

9. A speed change mechanism combining a driving shaft; two shiftable gear-units splined thereto; an intermediate shaft; an intermediate gearamit journaled co-axially with said intermediate shaft; means for shifting said shiftable gear units to selectively engage the gears thereof with the gears of said intermediate gear-unit; two gears fixed to said intermediate shaft; a driven shaft; a sleeve journaled co-axially with said driven shaft; a gear and a clutch element carried by said sleeve, said gear ermanenlly meshing with one of the gears fixed to said intermediate gear-unit; a gearunit splined to said sleeve and provided with gears adapted to be brought into mesh with gears of said intermediate gear-unit; a gear-unit splined to said driven shaft and provided with a gear and a clutch element; and means for shifting said last-mentioned gear-unit in one direction to engage the clutch-teeth thereof with the clutch teeth of said sleeve and to shift it in the opposite direction to engage the gear thereof with one of the gears h'xed to said intermediate shaft.

10. A changcgear mechanism combining a drive shaft; a driven shaft; shiftable gearunits supported by said shafts; an intermediate shaft; gears non-translatably supported by said intermediate shaft; means for shifting said shift-able gear-units to cause the gears thereof to engage certain of said mm-shiftable gears to produce various speeds in said driven shaft; said gear-shifting means including a plurality of cylinders providing a plurality of cam-grooves; yokes connected with said shiftable gear-units and actuated by said cam-grooves; a pinion fixed to one of said cylinders; a gear meshing with said pinion; a member having only a circular motion ope 'atively connected to said last-mentioned gear for rotating the same; and an interrupted gear connection between said cylinders for intermittently rotating one from the other to shift the gear-units in a predetermined sequence.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name, as attested by the two subscribing witnesses.

SOL EINSTEIN.

Witnesses:

BRYCE H. Dn'r'ron, H. T. WILLIAMs. 

